Jemimah Rodrigues’ heroic 127 not out will forever be remembered as one of the finest innings in Indian cricket history – men’s or women’s. On a night of high emotion at the DY Patil Stadium, she guided India to an improbable and historic five-wicket win over seven-time champions Australia, securing a place in the Women’s ODI World Cup final. The magnitude of this victory goes far beyond numbers. It was a triumph of self-belief, resilience, and redemption for a team that has, time and again, stumbled from winning positions in big matches. For years, Indian fans have lived through the heartbreaks of near misses. But this time, the script changed dramatically. When Smriti Mandhana departed early and the scoreboard read 59 for two, old fears resurfaced. Yet, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (89) and Jemimah Rodrigues displayed remarkable composure, stitching together a 167-run partnership that not only steadied the innings but also sent an emphatic message: this team is ready to handle pressure. Their fearless strokeplay and calmness under fire turned a daunting chase into a record-breaking masterclass.
This victory is more than just a passage to the final-it’s a statement that India’s women can conquer the best in the world on the biggest stage. The emotional tears of Harmanpreet and Jemimah at the end told the story of years of toil and unfulfilled dreams finally finding their moment of vindication. Yet, amid the celebrations, the team must not lose sight of the ultimate goal. The job is only half done. South Africa awaits in the final. In this World Cup, even 300-plus scores have not guaranteed safety, including for India. The team management needs to reassess bowling combinations and tighten ground fielding to ensure that the brilliance with the bat is complemented by discipline with the ball.
Nevertheless, India goes into the final with momentum, confidence, and belief – a psychological edge that counts immensely in summit clashes. Jemimah and Harmanpreet’s heroics have shown what determination and teamwork can achieve. Their example should inspire every teammate to rise once more. The hard work has paid off; now the icing on the cake would be lifting the coveted World Cup trophy – and etching this campaign permanently into the golden pages of Indian cricket history.
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